Page 79 of A Taste of Torment
Now, I wonder if that was the right decision. Was it short sighted and based in fear?
I finally fall asleep with one word on my mind.
Coward.
* * *
I wake early,surprised to find my headache missing, despite the restless night I had.
“Good morning,” Corrine purrs from the bed across the room.
I sigh. “Morning, yes. Good, no.”
“Did your party go badly, then?”
“No, the party went well. Just didn’t sleep well. How about you? You were hanging with that boyfriend of yours, right?”
Her smile spreads wide. She’s been teasing us with hints of heramazingboyfriend but never giving us any information. It’s annoying. It would bother me more, though, if I knew her better. As it is, we only talk occasionally.
She wants attention. She wants us to ask continuous questions and obsess over the mystery, but I have more important things to obsess over.
“Janet has a boyfriend now too. Did she tell you?”
I twist to face her. “No, she didn’t. Who is he?”
She shrugs. “Ask her. She’s your friend. Sorta.”
I frown. I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my potions and doing my research. Not a lot of time talking to Janet and Lola about their own relationships. Does that make me a bad friend?
Corrine skips from the room, leaving me to dwell on my own concerns. I take a few minutes to play with my shiny new weapon. It takes me fifteen minutes to figure out the best way to strap it to my thigh beneath my skirt. I walk around, testing the weight and the tightness. I find a decent balance finally and head out.
I do a sweep through Minor Hall for Lola and Janet, Corrine’s words still bothering me. But when I find no sign of them, I head to Under Hall to work on my potion. It needs to be done. Hopefully, I can find them afterward, before I go to Elite Hall.
There’s no sign of Jarron in Under Hall or in my potions room, which I'm disappointed by. One, he told me he'd come. Two, I want to make sure everything is okay after our conversation last night.
I just told him the reason I avoided him for years. Now that I’ve had the chance to get to know him again, I wish I’d handled that situation differently. I shouldn’t have fled like a coward. I should have… at least talked to him.
I called him a monster, but I don’t think that anymore.
Maybe I should have said that last night.
I'd like to say it now.
Because unless he's a true psychopath and a fabulous actor, he really is the same Jarron as before.
And the horrible possibility that he’s an emotionless killer just doesn't add up. Trevor would also have to be acting, and the people in school would be shocked at his change in behavior.
I still know he was capable of hurting Liz, but the worst thing I can imagine now, is that it was an accident or a stupid mistake that led to her death.
I finish up a few hours’ worth of work on my potion and then head back to Minor Hall for an early lunch.
The tension in my chest eases slightly when I find Janet and Lola in the common room. They happily join me for lunch, and I ask all the questions about Janet’s boyfriend.
“He’s not my boyfriend!” she exclaims, but her cheeks are red.
“Well, tell us about him. We can help make him your boyfriend.” I grin wide.
“I don’t want to jinx it.”
